Singaporeans Receive Prestigious
Australian Scholarships

Four outstanding Singaporeans will receive Australian scholarships to undertake postgraduate study in Australia. They will be honoured at a presentation ceremony this evening, hosted by the Australian High Commissioner to Singapore, HE Mr Doug Chester.

They are recipients of the Endeavour Postgraduate Awards, an initiative by the Australian Government to deepen education, research and professional links between Australia and the international community.

The recipients are:

• Ms Chua Wan Loo Jocelyn, whose research will look to improve support programmes for caregivers of the infirm elderly (University of Queensland);

• Mr Vinodan Rajandran, whose research into plant genetics may help develop new varieties of crops more suited to our changing climate(University of Tasmania)

• Mr Edwin Lim, who will study the causes of tennis elbow and the effects of physiotherapy and pain management (University of Queensland)

• Mr Nah Yong Hwee, whose research into infant Autism detection methods may help better identify Autism in young children. (Flinders University).

The Award provides full financial support for a maximum of four years of full-time study, and is worth up to SGD$290,000. In addition, three of the awardees, Ms Chua, Mr Vinodan, and Mr Lim have received the Prime Minister's Australia Asia Award. The Prime Minister's Australia Asia Award is given to the top 20 incoming Endeavour Postgraduate Awards recipients. Recipients receive an additional annual stipend of AUD$10,000.

Mr Chester said, “I extend my warmest congratulations to these young Singaporeans. I am sure that these outstanding recipients will make their mark in Australia’s top research institutions. Singapore and Australia enjoy a strong and enduring relationship, and such initiatives will help deepen our people to people links.”

Mr Vinodan, who will be starting his PhD at the University of Tasmania this January, said, “I am delighted to have been selected to receive the Prime Minister's Australia Asia Award. It is my belief that the award will provide me with the opportunity of a quality postgraduate experience. I look forward to working with research leaders in Australia and gaining the necessary exposure and confidence for my professional career as a plant breeder."

The Awards follow in the tradition of the prestigious Colombo Plan scholarship program, whose past Singaporean recipients include Minister for Health Mr Khaw Boon Wan and Minister for Transport Mr Raymond Lim Siang Keat. There are currently over 8000 Singaporeans enrolled in Australian higher education institutions and a growing number of Australians are undertaking study in Singapore.

For more information on the Endeavour Awards, please visit www.endeavour.gov.au. Applications for the next round of 2011 Endeavour Awards close on 31st January 2011.

Photos from the presentation ceremony are available upon request.